At 15-11 and fourth place in the Eastern Conference, the Chicago Bulls aren’t doing as bad as everyone thought they would. Still they need their star point guard Derrick Rose who suffered a torn ACL during the first round of the playoffs earlier this year. His rehab and recovery has been well documented thanks in part to Adidas. Coach Tom Thibodeau however gives us the latest news. Read more after the jump.

“It’s going to be a while,” Thibodeau said before Friday morning’s shootaround in preparation for their game against the New York Knicks. “He’s just got to go step by step. This is all the normal course of his rehab, he’s doing fine.”

Rose, who has started participating in walk-throughs with his teammates and selected non-contact drills, had surgery to repair the ACL in his left knee on May 12. He has been seen running around the United Center and the Berto Center in recent weeks.

“I think he’s in a great place,” Thibodeau said of Rose. “I think he understands what he’s trying to get accomplished. He’s handled that part great.”

As for who decides if and when Rose will be out on the practice floor, Thibodeau said it would be a collective effort.

“Your medical people, obviously Derrick,” Thibodeau said. “Those are the big hurdles that you have to get past. And then he’s got to be comfortable on the floor, so it’s right where we thought it would be and this is what you have to go through. We’re going to be patient and when he’s ready to go, he’s ready to go. There’s not any urgency other than Derrick’s doing everything he can to handle his rehab and that’s all his focus is on right now. And that’s all we want it to be on.”